GAME NIGHT 11/4: Waianae 29, Campbell 21, F (OT)

The always fun third-place elimination game in the OIA playoffs is back after a one-year hiatus this season. Waianae and Campbell meet for the second time this year with the winner earning a berth in the Division I-Open state tournament and the loser turning in their pads.

The Seariders beat the Sabers, 27-14, earlier this season and used that tiebreaker advantage to get the second seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Campbell is playing its 12th game this season under first-year coach Darren Johnson.

Waianae has advanced to the state semifinals in each of coach Walter Young’s first two seasons. The Seariders are 34-7 all-time against the Sabers in the Prep Bowl and state championship era, but Campbell has won four of the last six.

Waianae 21, Campbell 21, end of regulation

Waianae 21, Campbell 21, 4Q, 1:07

Clutch city. Fourth down, Kaipo heaves it high to the corner and Tyrese Tafai makes his first catch of the game, a diving 14-yard TD catch. PAT is good, game is tied. WOHHH…

Kick return by Jesse Freitas for 24 yards to the Campbell 34. Sabers have 2:15 left. Kaipo to Vernon Etrata-Daite for a 19-yard gain. 13-yard pitch left (option) plus facemask, ball to the 14. WOW. 4-yard pass to Etrata-Daite, then two incompletions. Fourth-and-6, time out by Campbell, 1:15 left. Ball still at the Waianae 14.

Waianae 21, Campbell 14, 4Q, 2:23

Seariders patient and pounding. Third-and-2, power-I, Rosario breaks off the right side for a 27-yard TD. PAT run is stuffed, but Campbell is whistled for illegal block (in the box). Second try by Waianae, Kana‘i Mauga scores on the run for 2 points, power-I.

Campbell loses three yards on a shovel pass, then Kaipo is sacked by Avilla-Thompson, loss of three more. Procedure on punt. Vaimoui’s punt is out at the Campbell 35. 3:54.

Rosario runs for 10 yards on two carries, but eventually Waianae stalls and punts. Downed at the Campbell 8, 5:45 left.

Campbell 14, Waianae 13, 4Q, 8:16

Waianae three-and-out, punt, fair catch by Adkins-Kupukaa at the Campbell 14. 9:22 left. Kaipo to Henderson for 10 yards, then to Adkins-Kupukaa for 19 and a targeting penalty is called as he holds on to the ball. Next play, a 42-yard bomb to Henderson for a TD, post route. PAT kick by Ariel Villanueva is good and the Sabers lead.

Avilla-Thompson clutch again with a sack to stop Campbell’s series. Punt is 18 yards, downed at the Sabers 46.

Huge break for Waianae. Adkins-Kupukaa fumbles the punt return, recovered by Evin Griffith for the Seariders at the Campbell 17. However, the drive stalls, the FG attempt misses and Campbell escapes harm. It’s the first extended stay on the field for Rico Rosario.

Waianae 13, Campbell 7, 3Q, 4:46

Fourth and 1 for Campbell at the Waianae 9. Time out by the Sabers. Kaipo sneaks for the first down. Three plays later, after a holding call on the Sabers, Kaipo finds Adkins-Kupukaa on the post-corner route again. This is a 17-yard TD pass. PAT kick is good.

Campbell shows a new look, twin receivers all the way to the sideline on either side. Reserve QB Peter Manuma is in, bad snap and he salvages a two-yard loss, but he is hit way late out of bounds, penalty Waianae. A few plays later, roughing the passer with Kaipo at QB, another free 15 yards for Campbell. Time out, Waianae, 7:33. Coach Walter Young wants to talk.

The Seariders are keeping things simple. Dive. Dive. Dive. Dive. Incompletion. Punt. It’s a short one, just 14 yards, fair catch. Campbell starts at its 47 with 8:51 left in the third.

Prime opportunity for the Sabers, but Kaipo is intercepted for the third time this half. J-zen Napierala-Rose snags the ball on a sideline route and returns it eight yards to the Waianae 10. The Seariders run out the final minute of the half.

Waianae ball at the Campbell 30 after the pick. Four plays later, Xaistin Kamealoha picks up yardage from the 15 to the 1, and the scrum is pushing him to the goal line when he is stripped. Cassius Taualo returns the ball 80 yards for Campbell to the Waianae 19. Huge break with 1:45 left in the half.

The Sabers start at their 21, drive to the 30, fourth and 1. Time out. Waianae jumps offside, first down Campbell. Avilla-Thompson with huge pressure and hits Kaipo on the delivery, and the ball wobbles until it is picked off by Braiden Ayala.

Campbell punted to start the second quarter. Waianae has followed with a clock-draining drive, starting at its 19. It’s now fourth and 13 at the Campbell 21. They may not score here, but the Seariders have eaten nearly 7 minutes off the clock. Tacgere’s corner pass is overthrown. Campbell ball.

Waianae 13, Campbell 0, end 1Q

The first quarter ends with a sack by Waianae’s Zefften Avilla-Thompson on Kaipo, a nine-yard loss. That was a strange quarter.

Kaipo connects with Adkins-Kupukaa on a nice post-corner route for 31 yards, and on third down, he connects with Jalen Henderson BUT… Campbell is called for ineligible man downfield for a THIRD TIME. All three went on No. 4 (Tafai) and now Coach Darren Johnson is trying to understand why officials are calling this. Campbell is running the same stuff, from what I see, that they’ve run all season.

Waianae 13, Campbell 0, 1Q, 1:57

Kaimana Swann-Merritt returns an interception 45 yards for a TD, and Waianae’s lead is now 13-0. PAT kick misses.

Campbell offside, then Waianae holding. After a Tacgere scramble between the hashmarks, it’s fourth and 3. Time out, Campbell. Waianae false start. Wasted time out and they’ll punt. Soaring kick, fair catch by Poki‘i Adkins-Kupukaa at Campbell’s 7.

Campbell trying to get something going on the ground, but it’s zero, -3 and incomplete (drop). Another three-and-out. Punt returned four yards to the Campbell 49. Favorable field position once again for Waianae.

Waianae 7, Campbell 0, 1Q, 7:01

Waianae returns the punt five yards to the Campbell 35. Super short field. Seven plays later, Justin Tacgere sneaks over for a 1-yard TD. PAT is good and the Seariders draw first blood.

Campbell botches a snap on its first play from scrimmage, three-and-out. Punt.

Pre-game coin flip
Captains for Campbell are Tyrese Tafai, Mose Timoteo, Nathaniel Thompson and Krenston Kaipo.
Captains for Waianae are Braiden Ayala and Toto Mailo.
Waianae defers after winning the coin toss and will kick off from the north end zone (tunnel).

COMMENTS

Oia#1
November 4, 2017 6:54 pm

Waianae coaches need to get back to jv. Prevent with 2 minutes left? Totally regressed after last year.

Choloropicrin
November 4, 2017 9:09 pm

Wainae is the only school amongst all the D1 schools that does not have a competent passing game. At least the other “run first” teams aka Farrington and Kahuku are attempting to develop a passing game and are becoming good at it.

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